Two Minutes by the Ocean
by HowdeeCoyote
Summary: In Japanese mythology, Konohanasakuya-hima-"Sakuya-bime"- met the God Ninigi, by the seashore where they fell in love. Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha who are conceptualized by this story respectively, fit well into the newest episode of Boruto: The Next Generations #17. Slight spoilers, of course, but only for a single line in the episode! [One-Shot] [SasuSaku] [Complete]


It was not obligation that brought Sasuke here, no matter what the gossips of Konoha assumed. A date was not a burden, nor had he ever considered it one. If anything, rendezvous were luxuries—luxuries of which Sasuke had never granted to himself.

Words fell out of Sakura's lips miserably. She was both apprehensive and nervous, made clear by the incessant wringing of her slender hands. Ninja knew not be so obvious about their personal plights. The burden that weighed on that woman must have been enormous.

"…you've only just gotten here."

Kakashi makes a show of shuffling paperwork—the very scrolls that Sasuke had intercepted and passed over. He had been out of the village for a few months now, gathering secrets and wasting time. The walls of Konoha did not welcome him.

Truthfully, Sasuke did not mind. "I've already stayed longer than need be."

Sakura swallows. It feels as though a wad of cotton is in her throat. Her mouth is dry and her hands are clammy—the question that sat on the tip of her tongue could not wait any longer.

"Would you like to go on a date with me, before you go?" She asks with immediate regret. Really, Sakura should have known better. She had received too many backhanded, passive aggressive responses to count. Ingrained in her memory, her cortex, sat the phrase:

" _Shouldn't you be training?"_

Sasuke sighed.

Sakura hid a blush behind her bangs.

Kakashi shook his head.

…and yet, not all was lost.

"Alright. I'll go."

At first, Sakura didn't know if she'd truly heard correctly. His voice sounded so normal, so _calm_ , without an ounce of irritation or scorn. It _had_ to be some figment of her imagination…some sort of, self-imposed waveform that had seeped from the confines of her head. _That_ was logical.

 _This_ was not.

So now, here they are, walking along the cobblestone roads that were new and unfamiliar. Sakura could feel the eyes of civilians as she tapped two paces behind her ex-teammate, hoping to negate suspicion. Their heated stares were nothing compared to the turmoil within her own chest.

Turmoil that multiplies tenfold as Sasuke asks: "Where are we going?"

A look of absolute horror contorts her kitten-like features. Sakura hadn't thought that far ahead.

Once Sasuke agreed to this…this _date_ , Sakura had sprinted to her home and thrown on a proper dress, as her mother said girls should wear. She'd combed her hair at least one hundred times. She'd even bothered to darken her eyelashes with mascara, and tint her lips with gloss. Where to spend their evening together had been the _least_ of her worries, but it certainly topped the list now.

Fisting the fabric of her white dress, Sakura lowers her head and groans.

Wasn't that just her luck—to have gotten this far, only to fail at the apex? This entire time, Sasuke had just been walking with no direction in mind and Sakura hadn't said a word. She was _such_ a fool.

A small sound rolls out of her mouth. "Oh, Sasuke…"

When she raises her head, and stretches a smile along her full lips, Sasuke narrows his eyes with displeasure. Something is wrong. Her emotions aren't genuine, but her words are earnest.

"I…wanted to spend time with you before you left again. Even though I asked you out today—I didn't—I didn't actually think you'd agree."

Standing up straight, Sakura nods her head, as if she's speaking more to herself that to Sasuke. "You're so busy. I should make plans before propositions. It's not too dark, so maybe you can still make it to your destination before nightfall…"

"Ah."

"Don't forget to see Naruto, either. I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you."

Sasuke almost scoffs— _as if_ he were worried about delighting _Naruto_ at this moment. There was not tension between himself and his brother; there were not hesitations or timid conversations.

Sakura and Sasuke needed closure.

Looking up towards the sky as the birds flew from perched grounds towards their nests, an idea popped into his head. Sasuke turns towards the village gates.

"Let's go."

The air smelled of sea salt. The sky had turned from sunny blue, to dreary gray in what little time it took to travel here—heaven.

Having lived in The Land of Fire all of her life, Sakura amazed that a beautiful seascape existed beyond thick foliage and never-ending forests. It was a hidden oasis. Miles upon miles of rolling ocean filled every inch of her vision; all of her senses became slaves to the scenery.

The summoned animal they'd flown on, Garuda, was priming its wings beside her. Apparently, he'd belonged to Sasuke's father, Fugaku, when times were simpler and the Uchiha name was free from blood. A single brown feather attaches itself to her gown.

A bestowal—a _blessing_.

"You…" She begins, breaking the silence. "You didn't have to do this. I'm grateful, but this must be out of your way."

Sasuke takes a seat on the bench beside her, crossing his legs aristocratically. "I needed to take Garuda here," he explains. "I'm heading to the Land of Earth next. We won't be around the sea for a few months."

As if queued, Garuda swoops upward and soars into the sky, flying low to the water's surface in play. The gust from his ascent knocks Sakura's hat off with it, flopping the object to her feet. Oddly, she does not reach for it. Its departure is almost…symbolic. Her shield has fallen, and her face obscured no more.

The crashing whitecaps send droplets towards her flowing white dress, reflecting the light as though it were glitter. The pastels of her skin and hair make her seem ephemeral—she did not belong to nature, but she could thrive in it.

Sakura had always been a…a precious person, someone Sasuke could rely on, even when he thought of her as an obstacle to overcome and an enemy to his beliefs. She had a place in his soul—a place that was neither familial nor friendly. A place reserved especially for _her._

"You should come to Earth country with me." He says, compelled by forces beyond comprehension.

Seafoam eyes, piercing and gentle, hesitantly inspect him. "I-I should?"

Because surely, Sasuke must understand the implications of such a proposal—he must know what this suggestion will mean for her. Two people, traveling along the countryside, with no mission or meaning to their absence seemed an awful lot like an elopement. Feeling bold, the kunoichi takes her place beside Sasuke on the bench, trying to make sense of the jumble that resides in her mind.

"What say you?" He asks, leaning forward to rest his elbows upon his knees and his hands beneath his chin.

"I say, yes."

To think, it only takes Two Minutes by the Ocean to fall in love.


End file.
